Claressa Shields is set to make the first defense of her undisputed heavyweight title on July 26 against Lani Daniels at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

Shields, a three-division undisputed champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist, has settled in well two fights into her run at heavyweight and it has led to a much-desired uptick in activity. The fight vs Daniels will be her second in 2025, making it the first time she's had more than one fight in a calendar year since 2022 and the second since '18.

And if she can continue to stay active at heavyweight compared with her run through the lower weight classes, Shields has no plans of moving down in weight anytime soon.

“I was fighting one time a year, fighting at middleweight, super middleweight and even fighting at super welterweight,” Shields told The Ring. “It was very hard for me to get fights at those lower weight classes. Now, I'm fighting a heavyweight and I'm fighting two or three times a year. So that's the difference for me. I'm going to go where I can get fights. Right now, it seems like heavyweight is where I’m getting the most fights.”

“I can make more money throughout the year,“ Shields added on staying active. “I can be more visible throughout the year. That's very important for my career. Right now, I am the most known woman's boxer and I'm pound-for-pound No. 1, so I shouldn't be only fighting one time a year. Fighting more than one time a year, it actually feels great to me and I'm hoping that I can get one more in after July 26, if not, two. If I can get two, that'd be a dream year.”

Shields (16-0, 3 KOs) became the undisputed heavyweight champion in her last outing when she defeated Danielle Perkins in a dominant unanimous decision on Feb. 2 in her hometown of Flint, Michigan. The win made Shields the first fighter in the four-belt era to become an undisputed champion in three divisions and the first undisputed women's heavyweight champion.

The difference with fighting at heavyweight has been evident. Along with her sublime skill, Shields has felt much stronger. In her first fight in the division, she dropped Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse three times before stopping her in the second round on July 27 to become the WBA and WBC heavyweight champion.

Against Perkins, Shields dropped her a huge right hand in the waning moments of the 10th and final round. Had there been more time left, Shields may have notched a second straight stoppage victory.

“I’m feeling really good,” Shields said. “I’m putting these girls on their backs. I’m hurting them. I’m constantly getting stronger and faster. I like being at heavyweight. I think I look good at all of the weight classes, but I don’t think I was ever this strong.”

Shields won’t close the door on moving back down in weight, but with the difficulty she had landing fights there the trek back down would likely have to be for the right fight.

First, though, she must get past Daniels (11-2-2, 1 KO). The New Zealander is a two-division champion, having previously held the IBF heavyweight title and currently holding the IBF 175-pound title. Daniels was forced to vacate her heavyweight title after defeating Desley Robinson by majority decision on Dec. 2, 2023, for the vacant light heavyweight belt.

Daniels enters the July 26 clash on a seven-fight win streak.

“I think that Lani is a very good champion,” Shields said. “She's aggressive. She has the whole country of New Zealand behind her. She's coming to win the fight."

Shields and Dmitriy Salita of Salita Promotions expect a sold-out crowd in what will be her third time headlining at Little Caesars Arena in four fights. She’ll also be walked out by Rick Ross, a multiple-time Grammy Award-nominated and BET Award-winning artist, for what Salita expects to be more than just a card headlined by Shields vs Daniels.

“July 26 is going to be more than just a boxing event,” Salita told The Ring. “It's going to be an incredible celebration of boxing. Claressa is going to be walked out by The Boss, Rick Ross, who's a legend and a celebrity and there'll be other big-time people in the building. We have some more incredible surprises and additions to the card.”

“I’m always excited for a fight,” Shields said. “I’m also excited for all the extra stuff. To be walked out by Rick Ross, to have an expected 19,000 in the building, I'm always excited for that. To be fighting against a two-time world champion — her nickname is the Smiling Assassin, so it’s gonna be a lot of laughing and stuff leading up to the fight. So I'm looking forward to all of it.”